Electrical plug connection



June 21, 1938. 1 WA 2,121,063

ELECTRICAL PLUG commoner: 7

Filed Sept. 11, 1954 2 sheets-sheep 1 lllllllll Inventor 15a wrflzcaWaltez;

Attorney Patented June 21, 1938 UNITEDTSTATES PATENT OFFICE ApplicationSeptember 11,1934, Serial No. erases 1 Claims. (01. 113-361) Myinvention relates generally to electrical plug connectionsand'particularly to connections of this type in which the necessarycables or wires may be secured by simple manual manipulations andwithout the use of tools.

It is also an important object of my invention to provide electricalconnection'plugs of the type indicated which are simple and inexpensiveyet eflicient and rugged and which enable connection of the necessarywires or cables thereto in a much more expeditious and electricallysatisfactory manner.

It is also an important .object of my invention to provide structure inelectrical. plug connections of the character indicated readilyadaptable to difierent forms of plug connections.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from areading of the following description in connection with the drawings,

wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown preferred embodimentsof my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view through Figure l. a

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the plug parttaken at approximately right angles to Figure 2. 1

Figure 4 is a top plan view of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of theinvention.

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view through Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a side part of this embodiment taken approximately at rightangles to Figure 6.

Figure 8 isa top plan viewof the plug part of another embodiment of myinvention.

Figure 9 is .a longitudinal vertical sectional view through Figure 8 andFigures 10 and 11 are plug parts similar to the said pa'rts utilized inthe embodiments shown in Figures 8 and 9 but of slightly differentarrange-v ment to receive cables or wires.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 generally designatesthe embodiment shown in Figure 1, and saidembodiment comprises theplug-part 6 on which is screwed the cap part I. e i

The plug part is shown in flat disk form and made of dielectricmaterial, with a circular groove 8 in the top-thereof and extendingalmost to the bottom and defining the cylindrical center portion 9 andthe encircling wall III which elevationalview of the plug has in oneside the opening I I through which the confined wires or conductors areled.

In the bottom 8 on the opposite side of the plug part is acircumferentially spaced pair of openings l3, I through which theindividual wires l5, l6, respectively, are introduced into the channel.Between the opening l3 and one side of the opening II is a segmentalconductor l1 and in a diametrically opposite position is a conductor Hi.from the plate portion thereof a blade I9, 20, respectively. which passthrough appropriate openings in the floor 8'to the depending positionin- Each of these conductors has depending dicated in the drawings andare so arranged as r to be received in a socket plug to which theplug ofthe invention may be connected. Rising from each conductor l1, I8 is aplurality of staggered spikes Ii, 22, respectively.

The insulated wires l5, l6, respectively, are individually led into theplug portion through the openings i3, i4 and bent down around the sides.

of the channel 8 and laid upon the spikes 2!, 22. Then the cap '8 isscrewed in place with the result that the wires l5, iii are forciblypressed upon the spikes which then penetrate the insulation of the wiresand make a perfect electrical connection with each wire.

The cap i has a dielectric circular body 23 which has dependingtherefrom and locked therein ascrew 2 4 which is adapted to enter aplain opening 25 in the center of the plug part 6 and thread into thethreaded metallic body- 26 which is embedded in the cylindrical portion9 of the plug part 6. The upper part of the cylindrical portion 9 istapered as indicated at ,2!

.to cooperate with the tapered socket 28 in the bottom of the cap I bymeans. of which the cap I is properly centered on and with respect tothe plug part 6. v.

A lining 28 of relatively hard rubber or the like is attached to thelower side of the cap and has portions engaging the exterior of thetapered portion of the plug part and the upper side of the wires l5, Itas indicated in Figure, 2, the material being of such character as will,resist cracking and displacement.

The variation shown in Figure that shown in Figure 1 through 4 exceptfor the cap Ia which is of vertically elongated form rather thanflatform and is arranged to pass the cable or conductor composed of thetwo wires through the upper. end of the cap as indicated at 30 ratherthan through the side of the plug into the opening 12 asfobtains in thecase of the first described embodiment.

5 is similar to In the embodiment shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 the plugpart 6a is generally frusto-conical in form as indicated in Figures 6and '7 and has at diametrically opposite points grooves 30 and 3| whichare connected by a passage 32 at their upper ends, the lower ends of thegrooves having communication with radially inset recesses 33, 34. On theradially outward side of the grooves 30 and 3| are inset conductiveplates 35, 36 respectively which have the wire impaling spikes 3T, 38and have connected to the back thereof the conductors l9a. and a whichextend therefrom through the bottom of the plug part and extend inproper position for engaging the outlet socket or receptacle to whichthe plug connection may be engaged. The cap part la is hollowfrusto-conical in form and has set in the apex thereof the interiorlythreaded bushing 39 which is to be threaded on the exteriorly threadedneck 40 which is fastened on the upper end of the front part as shown inFigures 6 and 7. A passage 4l has a bushing 4| arranged to pass thewires or conductors through the cap part la into the grooves 30 and 3|.When the ends of the wires have been positioned in the grooves 30 and 3|the cap is screwed down farther so as to impale the wires upon thespikes and make the electrical connections with the conductors I 9aand20a.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 8 and 9 the plug part is a fiatelongated body 6b having at one end a rising part 42 which isrectangular except for the curved end part 43 which has therein themouth which opens into the circular channel 45 in diametrically oppositesides on the fioor of which are located and embedded the series 46, 4-1of conductive spikes. At the right hand of the series of spikes areholes 48, 49 respectively communicating with bores 50 and 5|respectively in the right hand part of the plug portion which boresreceive directly the prongs on the appliance which extend torespectively engage the wires inserted in the holes 48, 49. Anarrangement of a two wire cable 52 with the respective wires laid uponthe series of spikes and the ends thereof inserted in the holes 48 and49 is shown in dotted lines in Figure 8, the cable passing throughthemouth 44.

The cap part 1b is a circular dielectric body having a bushing 53 at itscenter which is interiorly screw threaded to thread on the screw 54which rises from the frusto-conical center part 55 of the plug part 62)as indicated inrFigure 9. When the cap part 1b is screwed down, thewires having been laid properly in the channels, the wires are impaledon the series of spikes and the electrical connections made.

The embodiment shown in Figure 10 is for connecting the ends of twopairs of wires and consists of a plug part 6c which is circular in formand has a channel extending around the top thereof so as to define theupwardly projecting" center part 56 in which is arranged a screw 51 tobe engaged by a cap part similar to the cap part I! shown in Figure 9and to be screwed on the plug part 60 to impale the wires on the seriesof spikes 45c and 410. The wall defining the groove is broken by therelatively narrow opening 51' and a relatively wide tapered opening 58.Adjacent the lateral opening and within the limbs thereof are the holes59, 60 to receive the ends of the wires 6|, 62 which first enter theplug part through the opening 51 and overlie the radially inward part ofthe device as shown in Figure 10. The other wires 63, 64 lead to theplug part through the opening 58, pass around and at the outside of thewires SI, 62, overlie the outer part of the series of spikes and passinto the holes 65, 68. In this way two pairs of wires and the respective single wires thereof are adequately electrically connected, and theconnection may be done quickly and easily simply by laying the wires inplace and then screwing the cap part on the plug part.

The embodiment shown in Figure 11 has a plug part M which is circularand provided with the channel 61 which runs completely around the topthereof providing the part 68 having the screw 59 embedded therein tothreadedly engage the cap part in the manner already indicated, a cappart similar to the cap part lb being provided for impaling the wires 10and H on the series of spikes 46d and 41d respectively which are locatedat diametrically opposite points on the floor of the channel 61. Thewalls of the channel have diametrically opposite openings l2, 13 bymeans of which the wires 10 and H pass into opposite sides of thechannel 61 and lead out at another side.

Although I have shown and described herein the preferred embodiments of.my invention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire tolimit the application of the invention thereto,

and any change or changes may be made to the materials, and in thestructure and arrangement of the parts within the spirit of theinvention and the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A connector of the type described comprising a base formed in its topwith a recess, a, boss rising from the -fioor of said recess and havingcurved sides spaced from opposite sides of said recess so as to definesemi-annular wire receiving chanq nels on opposite sides of said boss,one end of said channels merging into a single wire passing openingthrough the side of said base, the opposite end of said channels leadingindividually into wire-end receiving bores, an elongated contact lyingon the floor of each wire receiving channel on which the correspondingwire is adapted to lie with its end in the corresponding wire-endreceiving bore, and a cap screw-threadably connectible to said boss in amanner to compress the wires onsaid contacts.

2. A connector of the type described comprising a base formed in its topwith a recess, a boss rising from the floor of said recess and havingcurved sides spaced from opposite sides of said recess so as to definesemi-annular wire receiving channels on opposite sides of said boss, oneend of said channels merging into a single wire passing opening throughthe side of said base, the opposite end of said channels leadingindividually into wire-end receiving bores, an elongated contact lyingon the floor of each wire receiving channel on which the correspondingwire is adapted to lie with its end in the corresponding wire-endreceiving bore, and a cap screw-threadably connectible to said boss in amanner to compress the wires on said contacts, said cap being arrangedto close said recess and the tops 2,191,068 wire passing opening throughthe side or said base, the opposite end of said channels leadingindividually into wire-end receiving bores, an elongated contact lyingon the floor of each wire receiving channel on which the correspondingwire is adapted to lie with its end in the corresponding wire-endreceiving bore, and a cap screw-threadabiy connectible to said boss in amanner to compress the wires on said contacts, said cap having a taperedopening in its underside receiving the tapered boss when said cap isthreaded in place.

4. A connector of the type described comprising a base formed in its topwith a recess, a boss rising from the floor of said recess and havingcurved sides spaced from opposite sides of said recess so as to definesemi-annular wire receiving channels on opposite sides of said boss, oneend of said channels merging into a single wire passing opening throughthe side of said base, the opposite end of said channels leadingindividually into wire-end receiving bores,.an elongated contact lyingon the floor of each wire receiving channel on which the correspondingwire is adapted to lie with its end in the corresponding wire-endreceiving bore, and a cap screw-threadabiy connectible to said base in amanner to compress the wires on said contacts, said cap having on itsunderside an annular part arranged to move axially into said recess toengage and compress said wires and close said channels and said wire-endreceiving bores, the underside of said cap further having a dependingflange for surrounding the upper part of said base when the base and capare assembled.

5. A connector of the type described comprising a dielectric baseprovided in its top with an annular channel, a boss rising on the sameside of said base concentrically within said annular channel, one sideof said channel leading into a wire passing opening formed through theside of the base, another side of said channel having the floor thereofelevated with respect to the bottom of said wire passing opening andformed with a pair of spaced wire-end receiving bores,

' two opposite sides of said channel between the elevated part. and thewire passing opening being provided with elongated contacts lying on thefloor thereof, and a cap having annular parts on the underside thereofengageable with wires lying in said two opposite sides of said annularchannel .on the corresponding contacts, said wires having their ends insaid wire-end receiving bores, so as to forcibly engage said. wires withsaid contacts and retain the wire in said boresfa screw extending in andrising axially from said boss and reinforcing the same, andascrew-threaded bore in said cap engageable with said screw to assemblethe cap on the base.

6; A connector plug comprising a plug part having a centralized boss onits top and an annular wall surrounding and spaced from said boss, saidboss andsaid annular wall defining a substantially annular wireaccommodating channel, said wall being formed with an opening at oneside of the plug part through which two wires are led into. saidchannel, the said wires being brought around opposite sides of saidboss,

contact blades extending from the bottom of said 1 plug part, saidblades including shank portions extending through the floor of saidchannel, said shank portions including segmental plates lying on thefloor of opposite sidesof said channel, a plurality of wire impalingspikes rising from each of said plates, and a cap part having connectiveengagement with said boss and having under portions arranged to liealong and across said channel and to compress the wires onto saidspikes, the floor oi the channe at-one side of said plates being formedwith a wire end receiving bore for receiving the end of the respectivewire, said bores extending substantially at right angles to the floor ofthe channel.

7. A connector of the type described comprising a base formed in its topwith a recess, a boss rising the floor of said recess and having curvedsides spaced from opposite sides of said recess so as to definesemi-annular wire receiving channels on opposite sides of said boss,one-end of said channels merging into a single wire passing openingthrough the side of said base, the opposite end of said channelsleading-individually into wire-end receiving bores, an elongated contactlying on the floor of each wire\ receiving channel on which thecorresponding wire is adapted to lie with its end in the correspondingwire-end receiving bore, and a capv screw-threadably connectible to saidboss in a manner to compress the wires on said contacts, each of saidcontacts having staggered spikes rising there from to impale thecorresponding wire.

, WRENCE WALTER.

